The Graffiti In My New Neighborhood Sucks
Who uses chalk on a sidewalk?
One of the things I miss most about living downtown is being able to admire all the graffiti art. It seemed like every alleyway wall was covered in intricate murals. Now that I live in the suburbs, the graffiti in my neighborhood sucks. I mean, these “artists” aren’t even working in the right medium: they’re using chalk.
In addition to using the wrong medium, they’re also using the wrong canvas. These amateurs are putting their markings on the sidewalk. Don’t they know their pieces are going to be washed away every time it rains? Or was that the conscious decision behind using chalk? Like they’re trying to literally draw attention to life’s ephemeral nature. Well, even if that was their intention, their graffiti still sucks.
I don’t even know if I can call what they’re doing graffiti. Most of the time I come across their sidewalk etchings it’s some weird number pattern. There are ten blocks labeled from 1 to 10. The pattern goes 1, 2–3, 4, 5–6, 7, 8–9, 10. There are often instructions to “Start Here,” at the first block, but I’m unsure of what, exactly, I’m supposed to do with the numbers. Do I add them up?
Their attempts at depicting life portraits resemble primitive cave drawings. All they’re capable of making is stick figure people and what…
